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Letters to the Editor

Reasonable exemptions should be made for owners

My wife and I have owned a condo in Maalaea since 2010. For a few years, we did rent the unit out to vacationers. However, for the last seven years, we have not rented the unit out and live in it for at least six months each year. We were classified as an apartment until two years ago, when the county arbitrarily changed our designation to vacation rental even though we do not rent. There was no consideration given for actual use. We treat our unit like our home in the way it is decorated and our personal items, not to mention our insurance coverage. Now, due to our ...

Remove grounded boats, worry about money later

To all of the government agencies responsible for protecting our oceans, when a boat or yacht breaks its moorings, why does everyone point fingers as to who’s responsible for it? If you are so worried about the reefs and coral, then why don’t you just get into action as soon as the boats are noticed adrift or potentially being grounded. It doesn’t make any sense to wait for sometimes weeks to do anything. The important thing is to remove the boat and worry about money later. Let’s face it, we have seen boats on Lahaina reefs for years before anything is done. Now, ...

Hospice Maui shining light of compassion

I spent five days watching my mother die. It was excruciating. My mother had Alzheimer’s, and I had been her primary caretaker for over ten years, the last five being the most difficult of my life. When my family accepted that the end was near, we enlisted the help of Hospice Maui. It was the best decision we could have made. From nurses Melanie, Barbara, Nani and Courtney, my mother received the best of care. Aide Corey tenderly bathed my mother and helped to take care of her bodily needs. These people were with us every step of the way. I cannot tell you how ...

Look into mirror to see who requires accountability

I read with interest Laurie Hollis’ article on Jan.19 titled “It Is Time to Demand Media Accountability.” As I read through her article, she revealed herself as a Trump and MAGA supporter. Her article was targeted towards MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow, and also Jen Psaki, Lawrence O’Donnell, Joy Reid and Chris Hayes. Her position is that their reporting is nonsense, outrageous lies of the highest order.  It is Hollis who requires accountability in her reporting. Her article exposes her ignorance of the MAGA purpose and culture. She has assumed the vile tone and attitude of former ...

Kaho‘olawe cultural, not toxic waste dump

Some have suggested that toxic waste from the fires should be temporarily stored on Kaho‘olawe. I write on behalf of my ‘ohana, who has ancestral ties to Kaho‘olawe, and the Protect Kaho‘olawe ‘Ohana whose members have persevered throughout the past 47 years to stop the abuse and destruction of the island by military bombardment and training exercises and to heal the island. We find this suggestion offensive, uninformed and appalling. Kaho‘olawe is a sacred and culturally-significant place for Kānaka ‘Ōiwi. Our ancestors named and dedicated the island to Kanaloa, ...

Green’s silence on obvious issues in address deafening

Gov. Josh Green’s attack on Maui short-term rentals in his State of the State address (The Maui News 1/21/24) is either seriously misguided policy or a deliberate attempt to shift blame from the appalling governmental incompetence, neglect and malfeasance that likely caused 100 innocent people to lose their lives in the most horrific way imaginable and thousands others to lose their homes. If the governor gets his way and short-term rentals are used to house permanent residents, where are the tourists (who are the backbone of Maui’s economy) going to stay? The negative economic ...